The effect of hericium polysaccharides combined with aspirin on the expression of CD133 and ABCG2 in lung cancer

BACKGROUND: The study was designed to investigate the effects of aspirin and hericium polysaccharides (HP) on the expression of CD133 and ABCG2 in lung cancer growth. METHODS: In vitro, A549 cells were treated with aspirin alone, HP alone, and a combination of both substances. Cell proliferation and the expression of CD133 and ABCG2 were examined using the CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and western blot. In vivo, eight C57BL/6J male mice were randomly selected as a blank group. The remaining 42 were inoculated with A549 cells to establish tumor-bearing model. The tumor-bearing mice were giving aspirin alone, HP alone, and a combination of both substances and sacrificed after 30 days of drug treatment. After tumor volumes were calculated, and tumor tissues were weighed, Western blot and quantitative fluorescence PCR were used to detect the expression of CD133 and ABCG2 in tumor tissues from different groups. RESULTS: Aspirin alone, HP alone and combined aspirin and HP inhibited cell proliferation significantly. Western blot results showed that Aspirin alone, HP alone and combined HP and aspirin inhibited the expression levels of CD133 significantly, but HP alone did not inhibit the expression levels of ABCG2. Combined HP and aspirin are synergistic. In vivo, HP alone, aspirin alone, and combined aspirin and HP inhibited tumor volume and tumor weights significantly. According to results from the Western blot and PCR analyses, HP alone, aspirin alone, and combined HP and aspirin inhibited the expression levels of CD133 significantly, but HP alone did not inhibit the expression levels of ABCG2. Combined aspirin and HP applications are synergistic. CONCLUSIONS: The combined effect of aspirin and HP inhibited tumor growth significantly by obstructing CD133 and ABCG2 expression in lung cancer.